What's new
By:
Filters
Christian Forums

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Brother/Sister thing

Classik

Classik

Member
Brother/Sister thing

Sorry for that strage title (especially with the 'thing' added). :shame.

Okay. I don't remeber calling a male Christian 'brother' or a female Christian 'sister'. It makes me feel kind of awkward to even think of calling a Christian any of those. I don't think I have ever used those terms before. (I feel guilty, somehow - not being overwhelmed with this culture).

I kind of repulse it when people use it, addressing me with such. A male Christian I always call: Mr. or I could use the person's name or title... Vice versa.


So, friends, what do you think about me? Strange of me?

And when you go to work or wherever, (especially where you have, say 4 Christians in the midst of 3000 professional unbelievers) would you feel comfortable using brother/sister??? Do you do it at all or are you like this strange me? :sad
 
I don't use brother or sister as a greeting in ordinary conversation. Where I do use it is when I'm addressing an audience of all Christians, and will then say something like "I want to welcome all our Christian brothers and sisters from First United Methodist Church who are with us this morning."
 
Classik said:
Brother/Sister thing

Sorry for that strage title (especially with the 'thing' added). :shame.

Okay. I don't remeber calling a male Christian 'brother' or a female Christian 'sister'. It makes me feel kind of awkward to even think of calling a Christian any of those. I don't think I have ever used those terms before. (I feel guilty, somehow - not being overwhelmed with this culture).

I kind of repulse it when people use it, addressing me with such. A male Christian I always call: Mr. or I could use the person's name or title... Vice versa.


So, friends, what do you think about me? Strange of me?

And when you go to work or wherever, (especially where you have, say 4 Christians in the midst of 3000 professional unbelievers) would you feel comfortable using brother/sister??? Do you do it at all or are you like this strange me? :sad
Click to expand...

I have never been accustomed to this in the first church that I was a member of. The church that I am in now. I just call the older members those who are seventy and over by Sister or Brother. In my age group I call them by their first name. I guess it is a tradition. I don't care too much for the sister brother thing.
 
Alright. Thanks for your replys. But do you at all feel a little worried or embarrassed when the term, 'brother' or 'sister' is being used as address to you (by another friend or even stranger). That's the part that makes me wanna disappear. Dunno why
 
If they're an adult, I address them as "ma'am" or "sir". It's how I was raised. If it's a friend, I just use their name.

No one has ever refferred to me specifically as "sister", though. So I'm not sure how I feel about that. I don't really care what people call me, as long as it's not verbally abusive.
 
Classik said:
Brother/Sister thing

Sorry for that strage title (especially with the 'thing' added). :shame.

Okay. I don't remeber calling a male Christian 'brother' or a female Christian 'sister'. It makes me feel kind of awkward to even think of calling a Christian any of those. I don't think I have ever used those terms before. (I feel guilty, somehow - not being overwhelmed with this culture).

I kind of repulse it when people use it, addressing me with such. A male Christian I always call: Mr. or I could use the person's name or title... Vice versa.


So, friends, what do you think about me? Strange of me?

And when you go to work or wherever, (especially where you have, say 4 Christians in the midst of 3000 professional unbelievers) would you feel comfortable using brother/sister??? Do you do it at all or are you like this strange me? :sad
Click to expand...

If you feel awkward using it then don't. Nothing worse then being a fake and putting on an act because you think it is the expected thing to so.

But if a fellow Christian does call you Brother/Sister try to take it with grace. Because they will more then likely be genuine in using it. For them it is a title that puts you on a higher level.


All Praise The Ancient Of Days
 
Growing up Brother/ Sister so and so was required.... Back in the 50s kids never called a grownup by their first name..
I never called my siblings brother/sister so and so the whole idea was off kilter to me.... still is.... Sir and ma'am i still use for my elders... my elders? not so many any more...
 
questdriven said:
If they're an adult, I address them as "ma'am" or "sir". It's how I was raised. If it's a friend, I just use their name.

No one has ever refferred to me specifically as "sister", though. So I'm not sure how I feel about that. I don't really care what people call me, as long as it's not verbally abusive.
Click to expand...

Well, to correct my post a little, I have reffered to certain people in my church as "Brother/Sister So-and-so", because that's how my parents referred to them and it became a habit. Just when mentioning them in a conversation in my family, not to address them directly.

Otherwise, though, I don't do that. It would be kind of odd, because I don't call my biological brothers "brother" when I talk to them.
 
reba said:
Growing up Brother/ Sister so and so was required.... Back in the 50s kids never called a grownup by their first name.. I never called my siblings brother/sister so and so the whole idea was off kilter to me.... still is.... Sir and ma'am i still use for my elders... my elders? not so many any more...
Click to expand...
You were riased in a well disciplined home. We do that too. (What we normally do is give people nicknames...this is to avoid calling them by thier firstnames). E.g is: moon, governor, presdo, mountain etc..quite funny.
 
It doesn't matter what you call me, just don't call me late for dinner :D

OOPS!!! I had to say it :shame. I can not recall ever calling one a brother or a sister, but we are all brothers and sister in the Lord. I will call you Mr. Classik :salute.
 
I use it when referring to fellow Christians, especially in writing.. I heard this a lot when I was younger... it was simply the way that folks differentiated between those who were in the Church and those who weren't.

I'm not sure that I've ever referred to someone as Brother Classik or Sister Reba in face to face conversation though.
 
I think we got it from Paul when he talked about brothers and sisters in Christ and Jesus also referred to us as brothers.
 
I call my fellow believers 'brother', or 'sister' when I sense a common bond in the Spirit. So in some churches I used it a lot. Other churches...not so much, if at all.

It's hard to call someone 'brother', or 'sister' whom you have not fellowshipped in the Spirit with--you know, someone you've enjoyed good Spirit-filled Bible study or praise and worship with. There's nothing like that to unify the family of God in true kinship.

What I don't like is when an unbeliever calls me 'brother'. I don't use it flippantly because it has a lot of meaning attached to it, so I don't expect others to just carelessly toss it around, making it utterly meaningless.
 
handy said:
... it was simply the way that folks differentiated between those who were in the Church and those who weren't.
Click to expand...
Yes!

I had the privilege of starting out in the faith in a very well grounded, Biblical church that taught all these kinds of things the church in general has abandoned. It was a 'full gospel' church, meaning they didn't leave things out that are in the Bible that so many churches do. They embraced all the truths of the Bible. They genuinely tried, anyway.



handy said:
I'm not sure that I've ever referred to someone as Brother Classik or Sister Reba in face to face conversation though.
Click to expand...
Putting the person's name after 'brother', or 'sister' makes it too formal and robs it of it's intent to communicate familial affection and connection, IMO. When people talk to their mother do they say, "mother so-and-so"? Only in old English films, lol.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top